Vics turn to great White hope

Cameron White is less than three weeks out of his teens, but so far advanced in his life as a cricketer that he was yesterday made Victoria's one-day captain and his state's youngest-ever skipper.

He will shake hands on equal terms with Steve Waugh, a man coach David Hookes noted yesterday was old enough to be his father, when he walks out for the toss before Victoria plays NSW in the ING Cup next month. He could face the even more intriguing prospect of captaining Shane Warne, his leg-spinning mentor and one of history's greatest bowlers, after Warne's suspension ends next February.

Mick O'Sullivan and his team of Victorian selectors agonised over the appointment for hours at a time at South Melbourne's Emerald Hotel and eventually chose White ahead of Victoria's most capped player, Pura Cup captain Darren Berry, senior all-rounders Brad Hodge and Jon Moss, and fast-bowling prodigy Mathew Inness. Yesterday, though, White appeared thoroughly undaunted by the idea of captaining men up to 13 years older than him.

"I don't think there's any time to be feeling that way; I'll just take it as it comes and go at it. With people like Darren and Hodge and (Matthew) Elliott it's going to be a great opportunity for me to learn about my game. I'm sure they'll be right behind me and help me out all they can," White said.

Equally, the selectors were undaunted by the idea of lumping a man of 20 years 17 days, still finding his way with such a complicated craft as leg-spin bowling, with the responsibility of the captaincy. Victoria last won the one-day title in 1994-95.

Hodge, who scored a triple century for Leicestershire in county cricket at the weekend, was keen to take on the one-day captaincy but, as with Berry, was overlooked when selectors decided on a more experimental, futuristic approach to the one-day game. "Leg-spinning is a difficult art, and he's got his batting to develop, he's a wonderful fielder at first slip. He can marry in the learning of the captaincy. It's a big year for a young man and he would expect success and so will we," Hookes said.

"He'll do his own thing. There'll be no runner going out. He's got . . . 50 overs to work it out for himself from a fielding point of view, when to bowl himself and all those situations. It's not a token gesture but a genuine gesture for this young man to grow and an acknowledgement (of him) as a person and cricketer."

Indeed, White has been considered a future leader and breathtaking talent since his days at Wy Yung Cricket Club in Bairnsdale, generated glowing recommendations for his captaincy during Australia's undefeated youth World Cup campaign from coach Wayne Phillips, and has this year been named captain of Premier club Dandenong, too. His ascent to the captaincy, though, also raises questions about Berry's place in the one-day game.

Although O'Sullivan said the 33-year-old wicketkeeper was the incumbent and "someone would have to go past him", he admitted there was scope to introduce rookie gloveman Adam Crosthwaite if he warranted selection.

"There's a lot of water to go under the bridge. If someone like a Crosthwaite put his hand (up) and did remarkably well he would be considered. 'Chuck' understands that so he knows there's a little bit of pressure," O'Sullivan said. "Having said that, we're very supportive of (Berry's) role and of him playing."

Warne yesterday used his newspaper column to criticise Cricket Australia for penalising young cricketers such as White by preventing him from training with other contracted players during his 12-month ban.

But White was philosophical. "Obviously it was nice to have Shane's help. I've worked with him a bit and it would have been nice, but it won't affect my training," White said.